Sustainable giving for exceptional community healthcare

Our Mission

We inspire people to invest in the future of our local healthcare organizations 

Our Values

• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Donor First
• Respectful Partnerships
• Transparency 

Formerly the St. Francis Memorial Hospital Foundation,  our mission is to advance health care for patients and families in the Madawaska Valley by raising funds to support the facility and capital equipment needs of our non profit healthcare organizations, namely the St. Francis Memorial Hospital, Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care, and Valley Manor Nursing Home.

Although the province funding structure provides for the day to day operation of our health care organizations, capital and building needs are not included in the funding structure . These organizations rely on the Foundation to raise the funds necessary for their needs in order to continue to provide our patients and their families with the best possible care, close to home.

The SFVH Foundation is located at the front entrance of the St. Francis Memorial Hospital. Drop in visits are encouraged and welcomed!!

Our office is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Donations can be left at the front desk or our drop box  or by donating securely  on line through this website. Alternatively you can give us a call and we will be pleased to assist you!

St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation
Erin Gienow | Executive Director
Box 129, 7 St Francis Memorial Dr
Barry's Bay, ON KOJ 1B0

Phone: (613) 756-3044, Ext. 333
email: office@sfvhfoundation.com

Registered Charity # 89453 4817 RR0001

Your Dollars At Work!

A big Thank you to our wonderful donors. It is because of your generosity that we are able to keep the best care possible close to home.

St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation Annual Report 2022-2023

We are very pleased to present our Annual Report for 2022/23.  It was an exceptional year for the Foundation – in fact, one of our best ever.  They say that when a community comes together, powerful things happen.  We are so proud of our staff team, grateful for the ongoing support of our Board and awesome team of volunteers, amazed by the generosity of our donors and very respectful of the incredible dedication of our Healthcare Partners.  We are an intricate web, and we recognize that collaboration is integral to ensuring exceptional healthcare in our community.  A heartfelt thankyou to everyone!

The SFVH Foundation raises funds to support our local healthcare organizations including St Francis Memorial Hospital, Valley Manor Long Term Care and Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care. Through your generous donations in 2022/23, we raised over ONE MILLION DOLLARS. We exceeded last year’s net revenue by $280.0K.  One of the most special moments this year was the return of in person events and activities.  It was wonderful to see the smiling faces of event participants and to feel the energy of our amazing volunteer teams.

Our Results at a Glance

We are accountable to all our stakeholders and strive to use each dollar donated efficiently and effectively.

Our Accomplishments

Highlights from our 2022/23 Annual Plan included:

• Executing a new Rockathon event for Valley Manor
• Utilizing crowdfunding as a new technique for giving
• Completing the compliance requirements under the new Ontario Not-for-profit Corporations Act
• Planning for the Emergency Department Redevelopment Campaign
• Providing support to our many successful third-party events
• Realizing record breaking results for our annual events such as Tree of Lights, Golf, Online Auction, and the Memorial Butterfly Release

Your Dollars at Work

Our Donors

Total Active Donors:            1927 (previous year 1511)

New Donors:                         582 (previous year 329) – 205 from Rockathon Event

Donor Retention Rate:        64% (Industry benchmark 45%)

Monthly Giving Club:         168 members - $73,000

Donor Appreciation Calls: 540

The Future

We believe in planning for the future healthcare needs of our partners and community.  Investment decisions and managing surplus funds are based on a five-year plan provided to us by

each of our Healthcare Partners.  A total of $1,750,000 is invested in short term GICs.  This includes dollars held in trust for Valley Manor Redevelopment, Emergency Department Redevelopment, and the Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care Program.  Surplus dollars will be allocated to our Healthcare Partners according to priority needs.

Looking ahead, we are cognizant of future purchases including a new mammography machine (~$400,000) for the Hospital and a new van to transport residents for Valley Manor. 

In 2023/24, we are committed to providing:

• $321,000 to the St Francis Memorial Hospital for an ultrasound machine, baby isolette, stretchers, bi-pap machine, vital signs monitors and more.
• $35,000 to the Valley Manor for equipment, resident activities and more.
• $40,000 to MV Hospice Palliative Care for program support. 

In addition, we will initiate the quiet phase of the Emergency Department Redevelopment Campaign, revamp our website, and continue to explore opportunities for business practice efficiencies.

Under our By-Laws, Board Directors have a maximum continuous term of 8 years.  Succession planning is key for our success.  Having served on the Board for 6 years including 5 years as Board Chair, it is time for me to step down as Board Chair.  I will remain on the Board and will continue to support the new Executive Committee and Foundation.  It has been an honour to serve as the Board Chair and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with such a professional and energetic group of Directors.  Thank you for your ongoing support and guidance.   I salute Erin and her team having worked through the pandemic with amazing results.  Her leadership and understanding the importance of building relationships with donors, volunteers and our Healthcare Partners is largely why the Foundation has been so successful.  I am forever grateful to our community of donors, volunteers, staff, and Healthcare workers and look forward to another productive year of working together.  We certainly have an awesome community. Thank you!

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured

by the compassionate actions of its members.

(Coretta Scott King)

Share Your Story….We’d love to hear from you!

If the St. Francis Memorial Hospital, Madawaska Valley Hospice or Valley Manor holds a special place in your heart because of a personal experience or that of a family member or friend, we would love to hear from you!

To share your story and experience, please contact us at:

St Francis Valley Healthcare  Foundation
p: (613) 756-3044 ext 333
or email us at: office@sfvhfoundation.com

Eleanor Adams

Eleanor Adams visited the St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation on July 15, 2020 to honour a very important milestone.

Just recently, she celebrated her five-year anniversary of being cancer free, which inspired her to give back to the hospital where her journey first started.

Eleanor and her husband moved to the Valley in 2013. Following a routine mammogram at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in 2015, she received the news that she had early stage breast cancer.

She underwent a mastectomy, followed by another shortly after. The procedures were a success and Eleanor was declared cancer free.

Eleanor prides her early detection at SFMH, along with the knowledgeable staff here at St. Francis, with her quick recovery. She recently made a donation to the Foundation, recognizing every year she has been cancer free.

“I am proud of our little hospital,” she said.

Eleanor’s generous gift will go towards local healthcare including the purchase of critical medical equipment for our hospital.

If you’d like to recognize a special milestone and help local healthcare, call 613-756-3045 ext. 217.

Jacqueline Goodheart: St. Francis Memorial Hospital

Jeanette Wright: Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care

Glen Henneberry: Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care

Margaret Haskin: St. Francis Memorial Hospital

Nelson Hartwick: Valley Manor

Carol Chippior: Valley Manor

Marjorie Mayhew: Valley Manor

Eleanor Stanutz: Valley Manor

Nelson & Joan Leeder

Regular donors since moving to the area many years ago, Nels and Joan Leeder made the decision to look at their investments as a way of future planning for additional support for the Hospital they both valued.

“Nels and I made conscious decision years ago to ensure that we did pre-planning of our assets.We sat down and asked ourselves….what charities are important for us to appreciate and who should benefit from our support?” Their wish to see St. Francis Memorial continue to be strong and sustainable made their decision to leave a gift of securities an easy one. “We recognized the future of this community having a Hospital, close to home. I know Nels would be pleased to know that the support we planned to leave is making a difference. For me, end of life grief was easier to bear knowing that because of our gift, life would be better for others.”

Star of Love

The following message was written by a patient of St. Francis Memorial Hospital. In honour of all who work, volunteer, visit, and have stayed as patients at SFMH, he has registered a star which he calls Star of Love. 

Name of Star: Star of Love

From The Star Registry to allat SFMH.

This star that was purchased, a star that can be seen in the night sky is for a very special Hospital. It is for all who work, visit, volunteer, or had a brief or long stay. It is also to the ones who were not so fortunate but will be remembered in the hearts and minds of those who were either family or friends.

This star is to all the staff that have made many peoples lives both better and their stay memorable and a happy one, including mine.

To the people at SFMH, may you always continue to shine bright for those in need and with just a friendly smile.

P.S. I hope you have a very bright star available so all can see it.

Mercedes the iPad Whiz

The St Francis Memorial Hospital is pleased to offer complimentary online/Wi-Fi access for patients and their families, helping them keep connected to friends, family and community news. Check out patient Mercedes Conway, who is 96 years young and a whiz with her iPad! Way to go Mercedes!!

Emergency Department: St. Francis Memorial Hospital 

Medical Unit: St. Francis Memorial Hospital 

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program: St. Francis Memorial Hospital